Thirteen strong, interesting tales from Greek tragedy, admirably retold by Alfred J. Church and retaining remarkably well the spirit of the originals. Includes the stories of Alcestis, Medea, Antigone, Philoctetes, Agamemnon, Iphigenia, Electra, and Orestes among others. Ages 11-14

201 pages

$9.95

THE STORY OF THE SEVEN CHIEFS AGAINST THEBES

[63] IT befell in times past that the Gods, being angry with
the inhabitants of Thebes, sent into their land a very
noisome beast which men called the Sphinx. Now this
beast had the face and breast of a very fair woman, but
the feet and claws of a lion; and it was wont to ask a
riddle of such as encountered it; and such as answered
not aright it would tear and devour. Now when it had
laid waste the land many days, there chanced to come to
Thebes one Œdipus, who had fled from the city of
Corinth that he might escape the doom which the Gods
had spoken against him. And the men of the place told
him of the Sphinx, how she cruelly devoured the people,
and that he who should deliver them from her should
have the kingdom. So Œdipus, being very bold, and also
ready of wit, went forth to meet the
[64] monster. And when she saw him she spake, saying—

"Read me this riddle right, or die:

What liveth there beneath the sky,

Four-footed creature that doth choose

Now three feet and now twain to use,

And still more feebly o'er the plain

Walketh with three feet than with twain?"

OEDIPUSANDTHESPHINX.

And Œdipus made reply—

" 'Tis man, who in life's early day

Four-footed crawleth on his way;

When time hath made his strength complete,

Upright his form and twain his feet;

When age hath bowed him to the ground

A third foot in his staff is found."

And when the Sphinx found that her riddle was answered,
she cast herself from a high rock and perished. Now for
a while Œdipus reigned in great power and glory; but
afterwards his doom came upon him, so that in his
madness he put out his own eyes. Then his two sons cast
him into prison, and took his kingdom, making agreement
between themselves that each should reign for the space
of one year. And the elder of the two, whose name was
Eteocles, first had the kingdom; but when his year was
[65] come to an end, he would not abide by his promise, but
kept that which he should have given up, and drave out
his younger brother from the city. Then the younger,
whose name was Polynices, fled to Argos, to King
Adrastus. And after a while he married the daughter of
the King, who made a covenant with him that he would
bring him back with a high hand to Thebes, and set him
on the throne of his father. Then the King sent
messengers to certain of the princes of Greece,
entreating that they would help in this matter. And of
these some would not, but others hearkened to his
words, so that a great army was gathered together and
followed the King and Polynices to make war against
Thebes. So they came and pitched their camp over
against the city. And after that they had fought
against it many days, and yet had prevailed nothing,
Adrastus held a council of the chiefs, and it was
agreed that next day, early in the morning, they should
assault the city with all their might. And when the
morning was come, the chiefs were gathered together,
being seven in number. And first of all they slew a
bull, and caught the blood of the beast
[66] in the hollow of a shield, into which they dipped their
hands, and sware a great oath that they would take the
city of Thebes or die. And having sworn, they hung upon
the chariot of Adrastus what should be memorials of
them, each for his own father and mother, all weeping
the while. After this they cast lots for the, places
which they should take, for there were seven gates to
the city, that each chief might assault a gate.

THEOATHOFTHESEVENCHIEFS.

But their purpose was known to the King Eteocles, for
he had heard the whole matter from Tiresias, the wise
seer, who told beforehand all that should come to pass,
discovering it from the voice of birds, for being blind
he could not judge from their flight, or from the
tokens of fire, as other soothsayers are wont.
Wherefore the King gathered together all that could
bear arms, even youths not grown, and old men that were
waxed feeble with age, and bade them fight for the
land, for "she," he said, "gave you birth and reared
you, and now asketh that ye help her in this her need.
And though hitherto we have fared well in this war,
know ye for certain, for Tiresias the
[67] soothsayer hath said it, that there cometh a great
danger this day upon the city. Wherefore haste ye to
the battlements, and to the towers that are upon the
walls, and take your stand in the gates, and be of good
courage, and quit you like men."

And as he made an end of speaking there ran in one who
declared that even now the enemy was about to assault
the city. And after him came a troop of maidens of
Thebes, crying out that the enemy had come forth from
the camp, and that they heard the tramp of many feet
upon the earth, and the rattling of shields, and the
noise of many spears. And they lifted up their voices
to the Gods that they should help the city, to Ares,
the god of the golden helmet, that he should defend the
land which in truth was his from old time, and to
Father Zeus, and to Pallas, who was the daughter of
Zeus, and to Poseidon, the great ruler of the sea, and
to Aphrodité the Fair, for that she was the mother of
their race, and to Apollo, the wolf-king, that he would
be as a devouring wolf to the enemy, and to Artemis,
that she should bend her bow against them, and
[68] to Heré, the Queen of heaven, even to all the dwellers
in Olympus, that they should defend the city, and save
it.

But the King was very wroth when he heard this outcry,
and cried, "Think ye to make bold the hearts of our men
by these lamentations? Now may the Gods save me from
this race of women; for if they be bold no man can
endure their insolence, and if they be afraid they vex
both their home and their country. Even so now do ye
help them that are without and trouble your own people.
But hearken to this. He that heareth not my command, be
he man or woman, the people shall stone him. Speak I
plainly?"

"But, O son of Œdipus," the maidens made reply, "we
hear the rolling of the chariot wheels, and the
rattling of the axles, and the jingling of the bridle
reins."

"What then?" said the King, "if the ship labour in the
sea, and the helmsman leave the helm and fly to the
prow that he may pray before the image, doeth he well?"

"Nay, blame us not that we came to beseech the Gods
when we heard the hailstorm of war rattling on the
gates,"

[69] " 'Tis well," cried the King, "yet men say that the
Gods leave the city that is at the point to fall. And
mark ye this, that safety is the child of obedience.
But as for duty, 'tis for men to do sacrifice to the
Gods, and for women to keep silence and to abide at
home."

But the maidens made reply, " 'Tis the Gods who keep
this city, nor do they transgress who reverence them."

"Yes, but let them reverence them in due order. And now
hearken to me. Keep ye silence. And when I have made my
prayer, raise ye a joyful shout that shall gladden the
hearts of our friends and put away all fear from them.
And to the Gods that keep this city I vow that if they
give us victory in this war I will sacrifice to them
sheep and oxen, and will hang up in their houses the
spoils of the enemy. And now, ye maidens, do ye also
make your prayers, but not with vain clamour. And I
will choose seven men, being myself the seventh, who
shall meet the seven that come against the gates of our
city."

Then the King departed, and the maidens made their
prayer after this fashion: "My
[70] heart feareth as a dove feareth the serpent for her
young ones, so cruelly doth the enemy come about this
city to destroy it! Shall ye find elsewhere as fair a
land, ye Gods, if ye suffer this to be laid waste, or
streams as sweet? Help us then, for indeed it is a
grievous thing when men take a city, for the women, old
and young, are dragged by the hair, and the men are
slain with the sword, and there is slaughter and
burning, while they that plunder cry each man to his
comrade, and the fruits of the earth are wasted upon
the ground; nor is there any hope but in death."

And as they made an end, the King came back, and at the
same time a messenger bringing tidings of the battle,
how the seven chiefs had ranged themselves each against
a gate of the city. And the man's story was this.

"First Tydeus, the Ætolian, standeth in great fury at
the gate of Prœtus. Very wroth is he because the
soothsayer, Amphiaraus, suffereth him not to cross the
Ismenus, for that the omens promise not victory. A
triple crest he hath, and there are bells of bronze
under his shield which ring terribly. And on his shield
[71] he hath this device: the heaven studded with stars,
and in the midst the mightiest of the stars, the eye of
night, even the moon. Whom, O King, will thou set
against this man?"

Then the King made reply, "I tremble not at any man's
adorning, and a device woundeth not. And, indeed, as
for the night that thou tellest to be on his shield,
haply it signifieth the night of death that shall fall
upon his eyes. Over against him will I set the son of
Astacus, a brave man and a modest. Also he is of the
race of the Dragon's Teeth, and men call him
Melanippus."

And the messenger said, "Heaven send him good fortune!
At the gate of Electra standeth Capaneus, a man of
great stature, and his boastings are above all measure,
for he crieth out that he will destroy this city
whether the Gods will or no, and that Zeus with his
thunder shall not stay him, for that the thunder is but
as the sun at noon. And on his shield he hath a man
bearing a torch, and these words, 'I
WILLBURNTHISCITY.'
Who now shall stand against this boaster and
fear not?"

Then the King said, "His boastings I heed
[72] not. They shall turn to his own destruction. For as he
sendeth out swelling words against Zeus, so shall Zeus
send against him the thunder, smiting him, but not of a
truth as the sun smiteth. Him shall Polyphantus
encounter, a valiant man and dear to Queen Artemis."

"He that is set against the gate of Neis is called
Eteocles by name. He driveth a chariot with four
horses, in whose nostrils are pipes making a whistling
noise, after the fashion of barbarians. And on his
shield he hath this device: a man mounting a ladder
that is set against a tower upon a wall, and with it
these words, 'NOT ARES' SELFSHALLDRIVEMEHENCE.' See
that thou set a fit warrior against him."

"Megareus, son of Creon, of the race of the Dragon,
shall fight against him, who will not leave the gate
for any whistling noise of horses; for either he will
die as a brave man dieth for his country, or will take
a double spoil, even this boaster and him also that he
beareth upon his shield."

"At the next gate to this, even the gate of Athene,
standeth Hippomedon. A great shield and a terrible he
hath, and on it this device,
[73] which no mean workman hath wrought: Typhon breathing
out a great blast of black smoke, and all about it
serpents twined together. And the man also is terrible
as his shield, and seemeth to be inspired of Ares.
Whom wilt thou set against this man, O King?"

"First shall Pallas stand against him and drive him
from this city, even as a bird driveth a snake from her
young ones. And next I have set Hyperbius, son of
Œneus, to encounter him, being inferior neither in form
nor courage, nor yet in skill of arms, and also dear to
Hermes. Enemies shall they be, bearing also on their
shields gods that are enemies, for Hippomedon hath
Typhon, but Hyperbius hath Zeus; and even as Zeus
prevailed over Typhon, so also shall Hyperbius prevail
over this man."

"So be it, O King. Know also that at the north gate is
set Parthenopæus the Arcadian. Very young is he, and
fair also to behold, and his mother was the huntress
Atalanta. This man sweareth by his spear, which he
holdeth to be better than all gods whatsoever, that he
will lay waste this city. And on his shield he
[74] beareth a device, the Sphinx, which holdeth in her
claws one of the sons of Cadmus."

"Against this Arcadian will I set Actor, brother to
Hyperbius, no boaster but a man of deeds, who will not
let this hateful monster, the Sphinx, pass thus into
the city; but will rather make it ill content to have
come hither, so many and fierce blows shall he deal
it."

"Hear now of the sixth among the chiefs, the wise
soothsayer, Amphiaraüs. Ill pleased is he with these
things, for against Tydeus he uttereth many reproaches,
that he is an evil counsellor to Argos and to King
Adrastus, stirring up strife and slaughter. And to thy
brother also he speaketh in like fashion, saying, 'Is
this a thing that the Gods love, and that men shall
praise in the days to come, that thou bringest a host
of strangers to lay waste the city of thy fathers?
Shall this land, if thou subduest it by the spear of
the enemy, ever make alliance with thee? As for me I
shall fall in this land, for am I not a seer? Be it so.
I shall not die without honour!' No device hath this
man on his shield, for he seeketh not to seem, but to
be in very deed most excellent.
[75] Thou must need send some wise man to stand against
him."

It is an ill fate that bringeth a just man into company
with the wicked. And of a truth there is not a worse
thing upon the earth than ill companionship, wherein
the sowing is madness and the harvest is death. For
thus a god-fearing man being on shipboard with godless
companions perisheth with them; and one that is
righteous, if he dwell in one city with the wicked, is
destroyed with the same destruction. So shall it fare
with this Amphiaraüs; for though he be a good man and
righteous, and that feareth God, yet shall he perish
because he beareth these boasters company. And I think
that he will not come near to the gates, so well
knoweth he what shall befall him. Yet have I set
Lasthenes to stand against him, young in years but old
in counsel, very keen of eye, and swift of hand to cast
his javelin from under his shield."

"And now, O King! hear how thy brother beareth himself,
for he it is who standeth yonder at the seventh gate.
For he crieth aloud that he will climb upon the wall
and slay thee, even
[76] though he die with thee, or drive thee forth into
banishment, even as thou, he saith, hast driven him.
And on his shield there is this device: a woman leading
an armed man, and while she leadeth him, she saith,
'I AM JUSTICE, AND I WILLBRINGBACKTHISMANTOTHEKINGDOMWHICHISHISOFRIGHT.' "

But when the King heard this he brake forth in much
fury, "Now will the curse of this house be fulfilled to
the uttermost. Yet must I not bewail myself, lest there
should fall upon us an evil that is yet greater than
this. And as for this Polynices, thinketh he that signs
and devices will give him that which he coveteth?
Thinketh he that Justice is on his side? Nay, but from
the day that he came forth from the womb he hath had no
converse with her, neither will she stand by him this
day. I will fight against him. Who more fit than I?
Bring forth my armour that I may make ready."

And though the maidens entreated with many words that
he would not do this thing, but leave the place to some
other of the chiefs, saying that there was no healing
or remedy for a brother's blood shed in such fashion,
he
[77] would not hearken, but armed himself and went forth to
the battle. Thus ever doth the madness of men work out
to the full the curses of the Gods.

Then the battle grew fierce about the wall, and the men
of Thebes prevailed. For when Parthenopæus, the
Arcadian, fell like a whirlwind upon the gate that was
over against him, Actor the Theban smote him on the
head with a great stone, and brake his head, so that he
fell dead upon the ground. And when Capaneus assaulted
the city, crying that not even the Gods should stay
him, there came upon him the wrath which he defied; for
when he had mounted the ladder and was now about to
leap upon the battlements, Zeus smote him with the
thunderbolt, and there was no life left in him, so
fierce was the burning heat of the lightning. But the
chiefest fight was between the two brothers; and this,
indeed, the two armies stood apart to see. For the two
came together in an open space before the gates; and
first Polynices prayed to Heré, for she was the goddess
of the great city of Argos, which had helped him in
this enterprise, and Eteocles
[78] prayed to Pallas of the Golden Shield, whose temple
stood hard by. Then they crouched, each covered with
his shield, and holding his spear in his hand, if by
chance his enemy should give occasion to smite him; and
if one showed so much as an eye above the rim of his
shield the other would strike at him. But after a while
King Eteocles slipped upon a stone that was under his
foot, and uncovered his leg, at which straightway
Polynices took aim with his spear, piercing the skin.
And the men of Argos shouted to see it. But so doing he
laid his own shoulder bare, and King Eteocles gave him
a wound in the breast; and then the men of Thebes
shouted for joy. But he brake his spear in striking,
and would have fared ill but that with a great stone he
smote the spear of Polynices, and brake this also in
the middle. And now were the two equal, for each had
lost his spear. So they drew their swords and came yet
closer together. But Eteocles used a device which he
had learnt in the land of Thessaly; for he drew his
left foot back, as if he would have ceased from the
battle, and then of a sudden moved the right forward;
and so smiting
side- [79] ways, drave his sword right through the body of Polynices.
But when thinking that he had slain him he set his
weapons in the earth, and began to spoil him of his
arms, the other, for he yet breathed a little, laid his
hand upon his sword, and though he had scarce strength
to smite, yet gave the King a mortal blow, so that the
two lay dead together on the plain. And the men of
Thebes lifted up the bodies of the dead, and bare them
both into the city.

THEDEADBROTHERS.

So was the doom of the house of Œdipus accomplished;
and yet not all, as shall be told in the story of
Antigone, who was the sister of these two.

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